Hosta plant named ‘Sleeping Star’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hosta  plant named ‘Sleeping Star’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading foliage and mostly upright flower scapes; dark green and creamy white variegated leaves; white to light greyed purple-colored flowers that are positioned above the foliar plane on strong scapes; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Hosta hybrid.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SLEEPING STAR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hostaplant, botanically known as Hosta hybrid and hereinafter referred to bythe name ‘Sleeping Star’.

The new Hosta plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of theHosta hybrid ‘Sleeping Beauty’, not patented. The new Hosta plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor in a controlled outdoor nurseryenvironment in Barneveld, The Netherlands during the summer of 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hosta plant by divisions in a controlledoutdoor nursery environment in Barneveld, The Netherlands since thespring of 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Hostaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hosta have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sleeping Star’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Sleeping Star’ as a new and distinct Hostaplant:

-   -   1. Upright to outwardly spreading foliage with mostly upright        flower scapes.    -   2. Dark green and creamy white variegated leaves.    -   3. White to light greyed purple-colored flowers that are        positioned above the foliar plane on strong scapes.    -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Hosta differ primarily from plants of the parent,‘Sleeping Beauty’, primarily in leaf color as plants of ‘SleepingBeauty’ have leaves with much narrower white-colored edges.

Plants of the new Hosta can be compared to plants of ‘Great Escape’,disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,003. Plants of the new Hosta and‘Great Escape’ differ primarily in leaf color as plants of ‘GreatEscape’ have green and white variegated leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Hosta plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Hosta plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a top perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Sleeping Star’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalinflorescence of ‘Sleeping Star’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in 17-cm containersin an outdoor nursery in Barneveld, The Netherlands and under culturalpractices typical of commercial production. During the production of theplants, day temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 28° C. and nighttemperatures ranged from 8° C. to 18° C. Plants were 16 months old whenthe photographs and description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Hosta hybrid ‘Sleeping Star’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Hosta    hybrid ‘Sleeping Beauty’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By divisions.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; creamy white            in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous flowering perennial            plant; mounded plant form with upright to outwardly            spreading foliage and upright flower scapes; flowering stems            and leaves basal; low vigor; white to light greyed            purple-colored flowers that are positioned above the foliar            plane on strong scapes.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plane).—About 13.9            cm.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of inflorescences).—About            20.7 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 25.9 cm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement and appearance.—Leaves arranged in a basal            rosette; leaves simple and generally symmetrical.        -   Leaf length.—About 9.1 cm.        -   Leaf width.—About 4.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly ovate.        -   Apex.—Long apiculate.        -   Base.—Short attenuate to obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire; undulate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            moderately rugose.        -   Venation pattern.—Camptodrome.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Center, close to            137A, 147A and 147B; towards the margins, close to 151C to            151D. Developing leaves, lower surface: Center, close to            189A and 191A; towards the margins, close to 150C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Center, close to N189A;            towards the margins, close to between 155D and 158D;            venation, similar to lamina colors, that is, close to N189A            and between 155D and 158D. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Center, close to 189A; towards the margins, close            to between 155D and 158D; venation, similar to lamina            colors, that is, close to 189A and between 155D and 158D.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 9.2 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Height:            About 4.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, upper surface: Center, close to 189A;            towards the margins, close to 155A. Color, lower surface:            Center, close to 143B and 144A; towards the margins, close            to 155A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single campanulate flowers            with fused perianth arranged on terminal racemes; flowers            face mostly outwardly to slightly drooping; panicles            narrowly conical in shape; freely flowering habit with about            19 flowers per raceme.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering continuous from June            into August in The Netherlands.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about five days the            plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Shape: Oblanceolate. Color: Close to NN155D; towards the            apex, close to between N155A and N187D.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 22.8 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6.2 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 4 cm.        -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Three interior tepals arranged in a            single whorl surrounded by an outer whorl of three exterior            tepals; lower 65% of tepals fused; upper 35% of tepals            flaring into a trumpet shape. Tepal length: About 3.6 cm.            Tepal width: About 6 mm. Tepal lobe shape: Oblanceolate.            Tepal apex: Acute. Tepal margin: Entire. Tepal texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Tepal color:            Developing and fully expanded tepals, upper surface: Close            to between N155A and N187D; color becoming closer to between            N155A and 84D with development. Developing and fully            expanded tepals, lower surface: Close to between N155A and            N187D.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per flower: One, positioned at the            base of the pedicel. Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: About            1 cm. Shape: Narrowly ovate; concave. Apex: Acute. Base:            Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            138A; towards the margins, close to N187D.        -   Peduncles (scapes).—Length: About 21.1 cm. Diameter: About            3 mm. Aspect: About 15° from vertical. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 189B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Aspect: About 45° from peduncle axis. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            six. Filament length: About 2.8 cm. Filament color: Close to            150D. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong; dorsifixed. Anther            length: About 3 mm. Anther color: Close to N170B. Pollen            amount: Scarce to moderate. Pollen color: Close to 15A.            Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About            3.3 cm. Style length: About 3 cm. Style color: Close to            150D. Stigma shape: Crested. Stigma color: Close to NN155C.            Ovary color: Close to 150C.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Hosta.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Hosta have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hosta plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Hosta have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and high    temperatures about 32° C., and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 5.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Hosta plant named ‘Sleeping Star’as illustrated and described.